2021 ALAMEDA EGRET COLONY

Great egrets arrived by March 18. In April they are joined by snowy egrets. Just a few. A thin season, so it seemed. Then egrets arrived in waves, a couple here, sometimes four or more. Then double matings occurred. Another male slipping into the nest while the resident male is out gathering food. One theory is that it is desired. Infidelity strengthens the bloodline. The main couple continues to nest and raise the young. Now it is August 7 and the colony is lively with at least seven nests and more than 20 egrets. Some are just days old. This third season is the first strong nesting season since the relocation of the colony in 2019. Chicks too young to leave the nest poke up. They’ll stay here well past mid-August and maybe until the end of August.

P1160690.jpg
Traucht_Alameda egret colony.jpg
P1180422.jpg
P1180392.jpg
P4013138.jpg